Antibody Characterization

From:

"Patterson, Noelle (NIDDK)"

Hello.
Anyone out there been tasked to characterize the specificity of a novel
antibody using IHC as "proof"?
If so, what approaches did you use? How did discern "real" from
background? Particularly since I am to characterize an antibody to a
protein that is not (at all) understood; and has no "expected" pattern of
expression. I thought about all the standard background blocking
techniques, but feel I need to get more "sophisticated" to convince
reviewers.
I welcome any helpful journal references. I have a few, but am always
looking for "better ways" to do things.
Noelle Patterson
Biologist
NIDDK/Navy-TAB
Bethesda, MD 20889-5603